


Levitate

by Raven_wolf_writes



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, BAMF Tony Stark, Canon-Typical Violence, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Humor, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt Tony Stark, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Protective Tony Stark, Serious Injuries, Slow Burn, Spoilers, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2019-05-14 20:44:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14776934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raven_wolf_writes/pseuds/Raven_wolf_writes
Summary: Tony is broken.He must deal with the aftermath of Thanos's invasion. He's lost everyone he cares about. He's all alone.Strange is stranded in the Soulworld. He enlists the help of none other than Peter Parker. He's unusually fond of the kid.He also can't stop thinking of Tony Stark.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all! So I'm pretty excited about this fic, I've been working on it for quite a while. This fic is going to be pretty long, not sure how many chapters yet. 
> 
> I hope you guys like it, and I can't wait to start this journey with you guys! 
> 
> The first chapter is pretty short, but the next ones are longer, I promise. 
> 
> I'll try to post a new chapter probably once every 2-3 weeks, unless I have something going on. I'll try to stick to this, and let you guys know if something changes. 
> 
> Okay, I'll stop talking now and let you read the chapter.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!  
> ~Ash

Tony watched helplessly as Mantis and Drax disappeared in front of him. _No. This can't be happening._

He whirled around, eyes widening as Quill disintegrated. _No....No..._

He turned to Strange, voice cracking as he spoke. 

"Why'd you do it?" 

Strange met Tony's gaze, his beautiful, piercing blue eyes dulling. "There was no other way." He replied, and he too crumbled to dust. 

Tony made a noise in the back of his throat, reaching out for Strange as he disappeared. 

"Mr. Stark..."

Tony whirled around, wincing as the wound in his side screamed in pain. 

"Mr. Stark...I don't feel so good..." Peter wobbled on his feet. He stumbled, falling into his mentor's arms. "Mr. Stark.."

Tony clutched the teen to his chest. 

"Mr. Stark...please...I don't wanna go...please, save me, Mr Stark..."

Tony held him tighter. "It's alright...you're okay, you're safe..." He said, half to himself. 

Peter started to sob. "I don't wanna go....please....I dont wanna go..." He fell back, pulling Tony down with him. He met the older man's gaze, tears glinting at the corners of his eyes. 

"I'm sorry," Peter gasped, and he too crumbled to ash. 

Tony grabbed desperately at the ashes as the wind blew them away. 

"No..." Tony fell to his knees. Unvoiced emotions exploded outward in gut-wrenching cries. His heart ached, for the lives lost. Because of him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Tony! What on earth are you doing?" 

Tony looked up, eyes red and bloodshot from lack of sleep. 

"I've been calling you for an hour! What are you doing down here?" Pepper stalked into the room, a look of disapproval on her face. 

"I was working," Tony replied, voice hoarse. 

It had been 1 month since the events of Thanos's invasion. Tony had managed to repair the Guardians ship, with Nebula's assistance. They had flown back to Earth, and Nebula was dropped off in Wakanda. Tony hadn't stayed. He couldn't. 

"Tony! Are you even listening?" Pepper broke into his thoughts. "I asked if you'd eaten anything," 

Tony shrugged. He didn't remember. Come to think of it, he didn't remember the last time he'd slept either. 

"Tony, you've got to stop this."

"You know I can't, Pepper." Tony mumbled. This was the most he'd said in a while. 

"You can't keep doing this anymore! I know you're grieving, but-" 

Tony felt a flash of anger. "Stop it, Pep."

"Tony!" She snapped. "I've put up with it long enough. You can't do this to me. Do you even know what I went through when you-" 

Tony's eyes shot daggers as he looked at Pepper. "Get out. Now." 

Pepper glared back at him for a minute before storming off, door slamming behind her. 

Tony stood up, and the room spun around him. His chest ached, and he kicked the door in anger. Why did everything have to go wrong? He braced himself against the door. At least it was stable. A scream erupted from inside him without warning. A scream of rage, sadness, and frustration. 

_It's all my fault. I killed them._

He sank to his knees, deep, guttural sobs escaping his mouth. Images flashed across his mind...Peter turning to dust...Strange crumbling in front of him...

He fell to the ground, his cries getting a little softer. 

 

 

Pepper didn't come down to check on him. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

**4 weeks ago, 2 days after Tony returned**

_"Tony, you have a visitor." Pepper said over the intercom. "Shall I let her in?"_

_"I guess," Tony mumbled in response. He was in his lab, sitting at his desk._

_A minute later, a soft rapping sounded at the door. The doors swished open, revealing a panicked-looking, disheveled May Parker._

_"Tony...I've tried contacting you...please, I need to know what's happened..."_

_She entered the room, which looked like a tornado had swept through it...twice. Tony stood, dragging a chair over to her without a word. He brought a chair for himself as well, and sat down opposite her._

_"Mr. Stark, please...what's happened to Peter?" Her voice trailed off, and her eyes were full of hope and desperation._

_"May...I tried, I really did...I should never have let him come. It's my fault." Tony's voice broke._

_May let out a sob._

_"I wasn't prepared. I wasn't ready. It's all my fault." Tony said, and he looked away._

_May threw her arms around Tony, sobbing loudly into his shoulder. Tony held her, grief clouding his gaze. Guilt pressed down on his shoulders._

_May stood up after a while, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. She left with a quiet goodbye.  
_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops angst
> 
> also I don't know much about the Soulworld, I've never read the comics so hehe bear with me

_Darkness. Emptiness. Nothing._

_Peter was floating...there was no one else around...Nothing else near him. He felt surprisingly at ease, contented._

_What was that?_

_A small pinprick of light...not too far away. Peter decided to explore it. He drifted towards it, dark brown hair swishing._

_A shout rang out through the emptiness. Peter whipped around, hands reflexively coming up to his face._

_Two shadowy figures were flying towards him...He couldn't tell who they were. His eyes narrowed, trying to decipher who it could possibly be._

_Too late, he realized they were going to hit him. He tried to scramble out of the way, god, it was like trying to swim through jell-o. He only managed to get about a foot away before...._

_His chocolate brown eyes widened as they smashed into him, sending him spinning. He flung out his arms, trying to steady himself, but his arm ended up getting tangled in the fabric of....a cape? Blanket? Peter couldn't tell._

_Something flashed nearby...it was getting brighter and brighter...Peter held his hands up to his face, trying to shield his eyes._

_Someone kicked him in the side, hard. He scrambled to try and slow himself...his hands found something soft...A shirt? Another yell rang through the silence..._

_Suddenly, light flooded his senses. An explosive boom sounded through the space...he put his hands over his ears, squeezing his eyes shut._

_Then he was falling...falling...his stomach dropped out from him, and he braced himself for impact._

_Something intercepted him before he hit the ground, slamming into a wall instead. He dropped to the ground, groaning in pain._

_"...what..." he managed to mutter, slumping forward to the ground._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"...going to need a sling of some sort...bruised...don't see anything broken, possible sprains..."

Peter cracked open his eyes. His brain felt muddled, he couldn't seem to think straight. But he needed to assess the situation. 

It felt like he was being carried...his arm jostled, and he let out an involuntary whimper of pain. 

"Oh good, you're awake. Can you-" 

Peter flung out wildly, his fist connecting with something soft. He hit the ground, letting out a cry and scrambling backwards. 

"Whoa there," The figure knelt down, holding up his hands to show he meant no harm. 

Recognition flashed across Peter's face. "Doctor Strange?" He croaked. It couldn't be. But then, he was breathing, and he had died. 

The sorcerer nodded, a smirk flickering briefly across his features. "In the flesh." 

He held out a hand. Peter took it, and Strange hauled him to his feet. Peter winced as his arm seared with pain.

"Where...where are we?" Peter asked, voice quiet. 

Strange sighed. "How much do you remember?" 

Peter thought. "I remember being on that planet...Titan, I think it was called...and then the big purple dude..." Peter shivered involuntarily. "And then...its all a blur after that." 

Strange nodded. "From what I've observed, I've deduced that we're in some sort of pocket dimension."

Peter stared at him blankly. 

Strange sighed. "We're trapped." He said bluntly. 

Peter wobbled, his legs threatening to give out from under him. "Trapped?" He repeated in disbelief. 

Strange moved forward, catching the teen before he hit the ground. 

He felt a rush of sympathy out of nowhere. This poor kid had probably been having a normal day, and then he was suddenly swept in the middle of an intergalactic war. He was probably scared out of his mind. 

He gently helped Peter stand up, keeping an arm on the boy's back. "Here. I know a place where we can rest,"

~~~~~~~~~~~

Soon they arrived at a small cabin, one room, with a small flight of stairs leading to the door. There was a sink, a wooden table, a gas stove, a small cot, and a worn couch inside, not much else. Strange led him in, and shut the door. 

Honestly, Peter just felt hungry. And exhausted. And a little afraid...not that he'd mention it. He was full of questions for the Sorcerer Supreme, and once they had arrived at the small cabin Strange had discovered, he just wouldn't keep quiet. Not even when Strange placed a bowl of piping hot soup in front of the boy. He just kept on talking. 

"How big is this place?"

"Have you seen anyone else around?" 

"How do you get food?"

"Is there a way to escape here?" 

"I don't know, no I haven't, there are trees and bushes, and I haven't found one yet." Strange answered each of Peter's questions, his eyes dull with exhaustion. 

"Peter," he interrupted before Peter could barrage him with more questions. 

The teen looked up from his bowl of soup. "What?" 

"I never finished examining you. I need to make sure you don't have any broken ribs or anything." 

Peter shrugged. "Okay." 

Strange nodded, and sat down opposite Peter. His mind drifted, and then he was a thinking of That day. When he had met Tony. 

At first, he had been a little taken aback. Tony had walked right into the Sanctum, no fear in his eyes, no caution. Strange had also not expected the banter that had occurred between them. He couldn't help feeling a little....curious about the guy. He wanted to know more about the seemingly unperturbed man that was Tony Stark. 

"Sir? I finished with the soup..." 

Strange snapped back into reality. "Oh...yes, of course...Just leave the bowl there, and take off the armor." He instructed. As Peter walked towards the couch, the sorcerer picked up the bowl and carried it to the sink. 

As he rinsed it out, his mind kept going back to Tony. To his own surprise, he felt his face heat. Why was he blushing? Tony wasn't even here. 

"Mr. Strange?" 

Strange looked around. "Yes, Peter?" 

"I can't get this off," he said. He was pulling at the sleeve of the armor,  but it didn't budge. 

Strange sighed. He pushed any thought of Tony from his mind. He couldn't distract himself now. 

Peter was now sitting on the floor, pulling at his leg armor.  "What the heck did Mr. Stark make this out of..." he was muttering, eyes focused intently. 

Strange narrowed his eyes, thinking. He didn't know much about this kind of thing. Peter definitely knew more than him. 

"Maybe...oh!" Peter jumped slightly as his armor suddenly retracted in on itself, folding and collapsing into a small spider insignia. Peter touched it curiously. The spider stayed attached to his shirt. 

Strange watched with quiet fascination. Stark had built that? It was pretty impressive.  Not that he'd ever admit it.

"Wow..."  Peter stood up, eyes shining. "It's kinda like Tony's armor...the nano-tech one he had." The teen suddenly looked distressed. "Oh no, Mr Stark is gonna kill me! He's stuck on that planet, and we can't help him and...and-" Peter's breath quickened. 

"Hey, it's okay," Strange said, and he moved closer to the boy. He awkwardly patted his shoulder. God, he was so bad at this. 

Strange was unprepared when Peter suddenly buried his face into Strange's shirt, eyes squeezed shut. Tears leaked from them, and he let out a choked sob. 

The Cloak of Levitation rippled behind Strange, and wrapped around Peter, pulling him in closer. 

Strange felt his heart soften. This poor kid...Strange put his arms around him, making a promise to himself. 

_I will protect him for you, Tony. I will keep him safe._


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in like 3 weeks, I've had major writer's block, and I've had family business to deal with. But anyway, I'll be trying to update more frequently, because I have a better idea of where I'm taking the story.   
> (Also note that this fic is most likely going to be between 10 and 15 chapters total, i might go over, but it depends) 
> 
> Now, I'll stop talking and let you get to the chapter! Thank you again for being so patient, and I appreciate all the kind comments you guys have left! 
> 
> ~Ash

Tony groaned as he opened his eyes. Bright light accosted his eyes, and he squinted, trying to get used to his surroundings. 

Okay...he was in his workshop...it was light out, so it must be daytime. 

"Jarvis, what day is it?" He called out. 

Silence met his words. 

Then he remembered. Jarvis was gone. As was Friday, who had stopped working ever since he had travelled to Titan. He was still working on that problem. 

A pang of loneliness stabbed through his heart. He really had no one left...well, Pepper was here, but...they had been clashing more and more lately. Rhodey was in Wakanda, as were the rest of the Avengers (those that were left, that is) trying to come up with a plan of attack. Rhodey had called Tony almost every day, but Tony had left his calls unanswered. He couldn't meet with the other Avengers. The guilt laying on his shoulders was too great. 

He was startled from his thoughts by the sharp click of high heels on the floor of his lab. The door opened, revealing Pepper, a dark look plastered to her face. She clutched a bundle of papers to her chest, and had a rolling suitcase behind her.

"Tony. We need to have a discussion," she began, coming to a halt at his desk. 

Tony looked up, eyes weary and head aching dully. "What about?" He rasped.

Pepper gave him a look, one that conveyed exasperation and frustration. "I can't stay here anymore." She said after a minute, glancing away. 

Tony sat up, words setting him on edge. "What?" 

"I'm leaving. I can't live with this kind of atmosphere, it's too stressful. I'm constantly worrying about you, and it's taken a toll on me."

Tony couldn't believe this. Was Pepper really saying this? "Are you serious?" 

Pepper gave a curt nod. "I'm leaving tonight." She replied, and with that, she turned on her heel and started towards the door. 

Tony surged to his feet, ignoring how the room spun around him as he did so. "Do you even care about me?" He shouted. 

Silence met his words. 

"Fine, then, Pepper! I don't care! Run off as soon as things get hard, I see how it is!" He was starting to ramble; he couldn't form complete thoughts in his mind. Everything was too jumbled and confusing. 

Pepper slammed the door behind her, leaving Tony alone in his lab. 

Tony sank back into his chair, the weight of all that had happened crashing into him. He put his head on his desk. The urge to cry throbbed in his chest, but he couldn't. He was too tired. Tony longed for someone, anyone, to just comfort him, but he had lost everyone close to him. No one cared enough. An image of Strange flashed across his mind. His heart ached for the sorcerer...he hadn't had time to tell Strange...

The phone on his desk rang, making Tony jump. _Who could that be?_

He picked up the phone, holding it up to his ear with trembling hands. "Who's this?" He rasped. 

"Tony. It's Rhodey. I've been calling you, why haven't you responded?" 

Tony sighed heavily, surprised at the relief he felt surging through him. 

"I've been busy," he replied, wincing at how gravelly his voice sounded. 

"Tony, what's wrong? You sound terrible..."

"It's nothing," Tony said quickly. 

"Tony, the others and I have been talking..."

_That's never good._

"...and we think that you should come to Wakanda. We need you." 

Tony repressed the urge to hang up right then. "Rhodey...I...I can't." 

"Tony." Rhodey's voice became stern. "If you don't fly over yourself, I'm coming to get you." Rhodey sounded tense. 

Tony gave a defeated sigh. In all honesty, he felt relieved. He desperately needed to see his friend. 

"Can you fly over to come get me?" He asked quietly. "I don't...I don't think I can't fly over myself..." 

Tony could almost see Rhodey's kind look. "Yes, I'll come." Rhodey responded. "I'll be there in a few hours. Get your bags ready and I'll meet you outside." 

"Okay. See you." Tony said, and hung up. He felt surprisingly better. But still anxious. He didn't want to talk to the others. He didn't want to answer prying questions, or recount the events on Titan... _No. Can't think about that._

Every time his brain wandered to the battle, it led to him reminiscing what happened to Strange...and Peter, and the guardians. He couldn't think about it. If he avoided it, maybe he'd be able to forget...pretend it didn't happen. 

He stood up. There wasn't much to pack anyway, just some clothes. The armor stayed on him, so that was taken care of. 

He looked over his lab...The half-finished projects, the random tools left strewn about, the uneaten food on his desk. Tony felt a pang of nostalgia. Peter would've loved to see this. The kid was so smart, loved science, just like him. Salty hot tears pricked his eyes at the thought. _Why does everything remind me of them?_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few hours later, Tony was standing outside the compound, looking up at a futuristic plane hovering above the lawn. It touched down carefully and the engines whirred to a stop. 

The ramp lowered, and Rhodey walked down, coming to a halt as he reached the ground. 

Tony couldn't meet his friend's eyes. He stared at the grass, anxiety flaring up inside him. What if Rhodey was mad? What if they started fighting and he left? What if...

Tony let out a small gasp as Rhodey enveloped him in a hug. When the shock passed, Tony put his arms around him and just let it all out. He sobbed into Rhodey's shoulder, trembling and shaking. Rhodey let him cry. He wanted to curse the universe for hurting his best friend. Tony had gone through so much, more than a man should in a lifetime. He had lost so many people. 

After a while, Tony sniffled and moved away, looking at Rhodey with dull eyes. Rhodey put an arm around him and scooped up Tony's bag, leading him onto the jet. He guided Tony to the passenger seat and sat down in the pilot's seat, buckling in and shutting the door of the aircraft. 

Tony buckled in, feeling exhaustion tug at his brain. Maybe he could just close his eyes for a few minutes...rest a little. He succumbed to the fatigue, letting himself fall into an uneasy sleep. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_Tony watched, horrified, as Peter staggered towards him. The boy was covered in blood and grime, and his eyes were full of terror and despair._

_"Tony! Please, help! He's coming!"_

_Tony rushed towards Peter, hugging him close. "Peter, it's okay, I've got you. You're safe."_

_But Peter was still shaking with fear. He looked up at Tony, eyes wide. "Its too late....he's already here..."_

_Tony looked up, crying out in terror as he met the gaze of the titan. Thanos._

_Peter yelled out, and Tony leaped in front of him. "Get away!"_

_Thanos chuckled, an evil grin spreading. "You're worthless, Stark."_

_Tony couldn't form words. His legs were shaking, but he stayed put, arms spread. He realized he had no armor...where was it?_

_He gasped when he saw the mad titan surging towards him. He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for impact..._

_It never came. Peeking out, he gasped when he saw the flap of a cape._

_"Leave them." Strange said, voice vibrating with rage._

_Thanos grinned evilly. "You cannot stop me, Strange."_

_Strange glared. "I can and I will." He moved his hands apart, and orange energy sparked into existence between them._

_Strange then flung the orange energy, now shaped into a whip, at Thanos. The titan caught it on his wrist and yanked down, pulling Strange forward._

_Thanos punched his fist into Strange, sending the wizard flying backwards._

_"No!" Tony screamed, running towards Strange as he slid across the ground. Peter ran after him, staying close behind._

_Tony collapsed by his side. "No.." Strange peered up at Tony, a smirk appearing on his bruised and bloodied face. "Its okay, Tony..." He murmured, before falling back and closing his eyes._

_Tony glared around, searching for Thanos. He was going to pay._

_"Tony! Help-"_

_Tony whirled at the sound of Peter's scream. He took a step back._

_Thanos had grabbed Peter in his fist, squeezing him tightly. Peter screamed in pain, arms scrabbling desperately at the titan's fingers._

_"You are going to watch him die." Thanos said, eyes alight with malice. "Every second of it."_

_Tony squared his shoulders. "Put him down."_

_Thanos only clenched his fist tighter, causing Peter to let out a strangled yell._

_He then dropped the boy to the ground. Tony rushed towards him. "No! Peter! Please..."_

_Kneeling beside him, Tony wrapped Peter in his arms. "Peter..."_

_Peter stirred slightly, eyes cracking open. "I'm sorry, Tony. I'm sorry..." He murmured, before falling limp._

_"No..." His voice broke. He hadn't been fast enough. He hadn't saved him in time._

_Thanos laughed maniacally, standing behind Tony. "You've failed, Stark. I won't give you the relief of death. I know how desperately you want it. But you don't deserve it."_

_He snapped his fingers, and Tony felt himself become suspended in air. He struggled against invisible bonds, and watched helplessly as Thanos appeared in front of him, holding a sword._

_Tony whimpered with pain. "....please...." He begged, anything would be better than this. Even death..._

_Thanos swung his arm back. Tony let out the scream building inside him. "No!"_  
~~~~~~~~~~

"Tony! Tony! Wake up, it's alright!" 

Tony's eyes shot open, and he flung his arms out, panicking. 

"Tony!" Rhodey appeared in front of him, worry flashing in his eyes. "Tony, you're okay. You're on the plane." 

Tony blinked, peering around confusedly. His brain struggled to process what Rhodey was saying. "The plane?" He repeated. 

"Yes, we're flying to Wakanda, remember? You were having a nightmare," Rhodey had set the plane on autopilot, and had went over to Tony when the inventor had began thrashing in his seat. 

Rhodey helped Tony onto a seat in the planes passenger section, looking on with concern. "Do you need water or anything?" He asked. 

Tony shook his head. 

"Alright then, I'll be up front, call if you need anything, okay?" 

Tony nodded mutely, not meeting Rhodey's gaze. Rhodey gave one last concerned look before heading back up to the front. 

The haunting images of his nightmare came into Tony's thoughts. Thanos choking Peter...the life ebbing from Strange's captivating eyes.....Tony shivered involuntarily.

Tony laid down on the bench, bringing his knees to his chest. Though he had slept for a few hours, it felt as though he hadn't slept at all. He was afraid to go back to sleep. Thanos stalked his dreams, tormenting him, torturing him...bringing his worst fears to life right in front of his eyes. 

Tony shook himself mentally. Stop thinking about that. 

But one thought came into focus. _You're worthless, Stark._

Tony didn't sleep for the rest of the night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm so so sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been busy with band camp (im glad it's done) and family stuff. I have more time to write now, so hopefully I can update more frequently. I know what I'm doing with the story now so that's also good :)  
> Thank you all so much for your patience and kind comments. I appreciate every single one <3  
> Hope you enjoy!!  
> ~Ash

Tony wasn't the only one having a nightmare. 

Peter turned over on the couch where he was lying. Strange had bandaged up his arm and cleaned him up. Peter had fallen asleep almost as soon as he had sat down on the couch. But his sleep wasn't peaceful, like he had hoped. 

Strange wasn't sleeping at all. His thoughts were plagued with worry and anxiety, and his head was aching. He longed to just let his consciousness slip away for a few hours, but every time he got close, he was jolted awake by anxious thoughts. 

He needed to find a way out of here. He knew they weren't dead, but they weren't alive, either. They were a in a sort of...half life, per say. 

A small cry pierced through his train of thought. Stephen sat up, looking around with concern. He slowly got to his feet, eyes darting around warily. 

"Peter....?" He murmured softly. 

A shout rang through the room, and Stephen tensed. "Peter?" He said a little louder, moving swiftly across the room and kneeling by the couch. "Peter, wake up," he said, shaking his shoulder. 

"No!" Peter yelled, eyes flashing open. He tumbled off the couch and hit the floor, grunting in pain as his arm jostled. 

"Peter! Peter, you're alright, it's okay!" Stephen exclaimed. The Cloak of Levitation swished off of his shoulders, where it had been perched, and rippled across the floor towards the troubled teen. Then it draped over his shoulders, becoming still. 

Peter was breathing heavily, and he was trembling uncontrollably. "....Mr. Strange?" He rasped after a minute, looking up at the magician with tired eyes, eyes full of fear and sadness. 

Stephen sat down, crossing his legs and pulling Peter close. He stayed quiet, letting the boy get his bearings. 

After a while, Peter lifted his head. Strange watched him with concern. "Peter? Do you mind telling me what you dreamed about?" He asked.

Peter shivered. "....I dreamed about....when I....when I d-died..." he stammered, eyes downcast. 

Stephen was quiet. He reached out a hand, laying it gently on Peter's knee. "Peter, it's _okay,_ " he said, looking at Peter earnestly. "That fight took a toll on everyone. Some more than others," Stephen pictured Tony for a second. "But we can get through it. We _will_ get through it."

Peter gave a tiny smile. His eyes shone with gratitude. "Thank you, Dr. Strange," he said, voice breaking. 

The Cloak of Levitation swished, the folds of its fabric curling tighter around Peter. 

Stephen couldn't hold back a chuckle. "Seems like it likes you," he commented. 

Peter smiled, a giggle escaping his lips. The Cloak rubbed its collar against Peter's cheek lightly. 

Stephen stood up quietly. "Are you able to sleep now?" He asked. 

Peter gave a small shrug. "I think so." 

Stephen nodded. "I'll be over there if you need me." He gestured to his cot. "Don't hesitate if you need anything." 

Peter climbed back onto the couch, the Cloak following diligently. It settled gently on top of him, like a blanket of sorts. Peter turned towards Stephen. 

"Thank you, Dr. Strange. Really."

Stephen smiled softly. "It's no problem, Peter." He replied. 

Peter rolled over, closing his eyes. Soon, his chest was rising and falling steadily. 

Stephen laid down on his cot, feeling considerably better. But he still couldn't shake the unsettled feeling nagging at him, at the back of his mind. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peter opened his eyes to sunlight streaming in through the window, illuminating the room. He sat up slowly, looking around and blinking slowly. 

Stephen was lying in his cot, staring at the ceiling. He hadn't been able to sleep, and it showed. His eyes had dark marks under them, and his head was aching. 

Peter stood up quietly, the Cloak following after him. 

Stephen sat up, getting to his feet. He wobbled, head swimming, but he managed to stay upright. 

He looked over at Peter. "You hungry?" He asked. 

Peter nodded. "Yeah, starving." The teen went over to the table, intending to sit down, but hesitated. "Do you need any help?" He turned towards Strange. 

Stephen smiled, shaking his head. 

"Oh, it's fine, Peter. Thank you for the offer, though." 

Peter sat down, an embarrassed smile creeping up his face. "No problem." 

Stephen padded to the sink, flipping on the faucet and putting his hands under the cold water. He sighed, closing his eyes and bracing his arms against the edge of the sink. A surge of guilt and anger went through him. No matter what he did, he couldn't stop himself from thinking about Tony. And how Tony must be feeling....Stephen took a deep breath. _Okay, calm down..._ He opened his stormy, blue-green eyes and glanced over at Peter. 

The teen was sitting with his head in his hands, eyes shut. He seemed to be muttering to himself...Stephen couldn't make out what he was saying. _Peter is my main priority at the moment. He needs someone to help him. I can't be feeling sorry for myself right now._

Stephen then shut off the sink and walked back to the table, sitting down opposite Peter. He grabbed a banana from the center of the table, and pushed another towards Peter. 

Peter looked up slowly, his eyes red. He slowly took the banana, and started to peel it. Suddenly he dropped it, and put his head in his arms. Stephen moved his chair around the table, next to Peter. He sat down, taking Peter into a hug. 

"Peter, what's wrong?" He asked, holding him an arms' length away. 

Peter sniffled, eyes becoming wet. "I want to go home," he said softly. He looked embarrassed, upset, angry, fearful...and that was just the tip of the iceberg. 

"I miss May, and my friend Ned, and Mr. Stark..." Peter continued. He clenched his fists. "Why does it have to be me?!" He burst out suddenly. Tears streamed down his face. "I always screw everything up." 

Stephen pulled him close. "Peter. It's _not_ your fault. It's not. It's Thanos's fault. And I can promise you, we will find our way out of here. Which brings me to what I was going to tell you," 

Peter looked at the doctor with curiosity, wiping his eyes with his hand. "What?" 

"We're going to go on a mission, of sorts." Stephen explained. "We need to travel across this...place, and see if there are any others, or any way out of here." 

Peter jumped to his feet. "Really? Can we leave now?" 

Stephen laughed. "Hold your horses, we need to gather equipment, food and the like." 

"Okay." Peter said, his eyes still lit up with excitement. "Will I need a bag?" 

"Yes, I have one with food packed already. Can you gather the blankets on the couch? Put them in this other bag," Stephen grabbed a bag from the corner and tossed it to the teen. 

After a bit, the two had gathered up their things. It didn't take long. 

"Before we go, can I see your arm? I need to change the bandages." 

Peter nodded, dutifully unwrapping his arm. It looked much better. "About a week more and it should be fully healed." He murmured, grabbing some bandages from the table and carefully wrapping up his arm. 

"Got your armor?" Stephen asked. 

Peter tapped the metal spider on his chest. "Yup."

"Good. Now let's go," Stephen replied, and he led the way out of the cabin. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peter trailed after Stephen, sweat lining his forehead. They had been walking for a few hours now, and Peter was starting to feel exhausted. But he didn't want to stop. He was determined to find his way out, back to his friends and family. 

Stephen held up a hand. "Hang on Peter. I see something..."

A figure was cresting the hill in front of them...too far away to make out much. It was tall, and human, from what Stephen could tell. 

Peter squinted, trying to make out who it could possibly be. 

Stephen slowly continued walking, Peter not far behind. The sorcerer hit his wrists together, activating his orange sparking shields. Peter tapped his spider, and his armor encased his entire body, excluding his head. 

They halted again, Stephen standing protectively in front of Peter. The figure came closer, and Peter was finally able to put it together. 

A man, with shoulder-length, dark brown hair and pale skin stopped about 5 feet away from them. He was muscular, average height, and had bags under his light green eyes. He also had a silver, metal arm, appearing to be made of vibranium. 

Peter took a step closer, head tilted slightly. His voice was low and quiet. "...Bucky?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,
> 
> Sorry about the 2 month (?) long, unannounced hiatus lmao
> 
> Ive been very busy with marching band and school starting up, but!! i did manage to get this chapter up (yay!!!)
> 
> I have started the next chapter, but idk when itll be up. I will say (albeit tentatively) it could be up in 2 or 3 weeks. 
> 
> But anyway, i hope you like this chapter!
> 
> Best,  
> Ash

Tony stared down at his hands, balling them into fists. He tensed his shoulders, trying to repress the invasive thoughts tumbling around his mind. 

_You screwed up._

_You're not worthy to be here._

_Why do you even bother to try?_

"Hey, Tones? Tony?" 

Tony shook himself, glancing up at the sound of his best friends' voice. "Yeah?" He managed to say.

Rhodey turned around in his seat, a small smile on his face. "We're here."

~~~~~~~

Rhodey expertly maneuvered the plane onto the ground, the engines slowly whirring to a stop. Tony stood, brushed off his pants, and followed Rhodey off of the plane. 

They stood in front of a huge palace, with other buildings near the outskirts. The doors opened, and a familiar face stepped out. 

Natasha Romanov made her way across the entrance path, stopping in front of the two. 

Tony stood stock-still. Natasha was alive. He felt relief shoot through him, and he nodded politely to Natasha. Though they hadn't really been on the best of terms the last time they'd seen each other, Tony still cared about her. 

The spy nodded in return, and looked at Rhodey. "Thanks for bringing him. Should we go inside? The others will be glad to know he's alive." 

Rhodey nodded. "Yes, of course." He glanced at Tony, and the inventor followed dutifully, keeps his eyes fixed determinedly on the ground. He couldn't trust himself to speak, as he was afraid that he would start to break down. He was barely holding it together, and he didn't want to lash out or embarrass himself. 

Before he knew it, they had arrived at a set of doors inside the palace. Natasha opened them, and led the way inside. Tony looked around, taking note of who was here...and who wasn't. 

The remaining Avengers were all sitting at a table, not talking to each other. They seemed to be waiting for something...most likely him. Tony glanced around. There was Thor, sitting nearest the door, Bruce sitting in a chair close by. A...raccoon, appeared to be sitting around the middle. Tony didn't even question it; he had seen way weirder things, so this didn't really register in his head. Nebula sat farthest from the door. Tony smiled, glad she was doing okay. 

Then there was....oh god. Rogers. Tony felt relief and anger surge through him. He wanted to scream and yell at him, but at the same time, he just felt so tired.

Steve looked up as they entered, and froze as he spotted Tony. He got to his feet, approaching the other. The man looked downright exhausted; bags under his eyes, shoulders hunched, hair a mess. Steve stayed quiet, and just put his arms around Tony, pulling him into a hug. 

Tony tensed, caught off guard, but relaxed after a moment. He let Steve hug him. 

"I thought you had..." 

Tony knew what he was going to say. "I didn't." He said unnecessarily, but not unkindly. "Also," he winced. "Be careful, my side's still healing." 

Steve took his arms off, looking at Tony fondly. "Tony, I'm sorry about, you know..." 

Tony shrugged. "We'll discuss it later." he said, a little quieter. In reality, he still felt upset, but that was a discussion for a later date. Right now, they had more pressing matters to attend to. 

Tony went over to the table, sitting down near Bruce. Romanov took the seat next to him, while Rhodey sat across from Tony. 

"Okay, let's get started. We need to make a list of Avengers who...disappeared," Steve said, looking around at the others. "If it turns out they aren't...dead...Then we'll need to know who to look for."

Tony purposely avoided everyone's gaze. He knew they were going to ask him to recount the battle on Titan at some point, and...god, the thought of that made his stomach twist. 

"On Wakanda, there was Sam, Wanda, Bucky..." Bruce started out, looking over at Thor. 

"Our friend Vision perished. Thanos murdered him," Thor added on. 

Tony had figured that the android had died. In order for Thanos to complete his mission, he would need the stone in Vision's forehead. 

"Groot disappeared too," 

Tony turned to the raccoon, who had just spoken. 

"My name's Rocket," the raccoon said, answering Tony's unspoken question. Tony nodded, turning back to the others. 

"T'Challa is gone as well," A teenage girl seated near the window on the far side of the room, spoke up. 

Tony glanced over at her. "You are...?" 

"Shuri, sister of T'Challa, technological genius." She replied, giving him a quick nod. 

Tony nodded, looking back over at Steve. That girl...Shuri...She seemed to be around Peter's age. A fresh wave of grief swept over him at the thought of Peter, and he closed his eyes for a minute. 

"Peter Quill, Drax, and Mantis also disappeared on Titan." Nebula added gruffly. "And my sister, Gamora, was killed at the hands of Thanos." 

Steve nodded. "Okay, is that all?"

Tony shook his head. "No." His shoulders became tense. 

Steve watched Tony carefully. "Who else?" He asked. 

"Peter...Peter Parker and...Stephen S-Strange..." He said quickly and quietly, determinedly keeping his gaze downcast. 

"Okay, I think that's everyone," Steve said. "Now-" 

"Wait! Steve, what about Scott and Clint?" 

Steve glanced up at Natasha as she spoke. "What do you mean?"

"Maybe they survived the snap. We should at least check and see if they're alive," 

"That sounds like a plan." He replied. "We can send a few people to their houses, check in and see what's happened. Does anyone want to go?" 

Shuri shrugged. "I'll go," 

"I'll come too," Natasha said, getting to her feet. 

"I guess I'll join you guys," Bruce offered. 

Thor gave him a look. "Are you sure you want to go?" His face was creased with worry.

"Yeah, I'll be okay." Bruce offered him a smile, and stood up. 

Tony surprised himself by standing up as well. "I can go,"

"Okay, that should be enough," Rhodey said. "You guys can go now, and contact us when you find out what happened." When the two women and Bruce left the room, he pulled aside Tony. "Are you sure you want to go?" He asked quietly. 

"Yeah. I'm sure." Tony replied. Fierce determination lit his eyes. He wanted do something, so they could get closer to finding Peter and Strange and the others. 

Rhodey nodded, and gave Tony a quick hug. "Be safe out there, alright?"

Tony smirked. "You know it,"

With that, Tony followed Nat, Bruce, and Shuri out the doors, and down to the jet.

The ramp lowered, and the four of them stepped on. Tony buckled his seat belt, feeling a little awkward. He hadn't seen Natasha in a while, and they hadn't left things on good terms the last time they had seen each other. And he'd never even met Shuri before. And Bruce, well, it'd been, at the very least, two years since he'd last seen his friend.

After a few minutes of silence, Tony looked up at his companions. Natasha was up front in the pilot's seat, so that left Shuri and Bruce sitting with him. 

"So, uh..." Bruce twisted his hands together in a nervous manner. "How've you been, Tony?"

Tony smirked in his direction. "I've been better," he said honestly. 

Shuri glanced at them skeptically. "You know each other?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah, I met Bruce a few years ago, when we first founded the Avengers team." He clapped Bruce's shoulder. "You know Shuri?" 

"Yes. I just met her recently, actually. When I returned to Earth and came to Wakanda." 

"And you are Tony Stark, obviously." Shuri said, sticking her hand out to shake. Tony shook her hand, then sat back in his seat. 

"I've heard you're good with tech," Tony said, folding his hands in his lap. 

"Yes, I am the head of technological advances in Wakanda." 

Tony let out a low whistle. "Wow. Impressive." He said. Shuri seemed very smart, a lot like Peter. Not as dorky and charming as him, but similar. Tony mentally shook himself; he had to stop thinking about that. It would only distract him from the task at hand. 

They rode in silence for about an hour. Tony had just started to drift off when Nat called back to them. 

"We're here guys," 

Tony stood up and stretched. _I wonder if Scott or Clint disappeared? Or what if both of them did?_

Natasha gently set the plane down an lowered the boarding ramp. 

Bruce led the way down the ramp and onto the ground. Shuri and Tony followed, with Natasha not far behind. 

"Alright, Scott's apartment is a few blocks away," Natasha said. "We can't fly the jet into a busy street so we have to go on foot."

It's not that busy anymore, Tony thought. The snap had most like affected many people in the area, and as the small group trekked up a hill and onto a street. 

Vehicles were scattered all across the road, some had careened off onto the sidewalk. Coffee cups and food wrappers with half eaten food in them littered the sidewalk as well. There were a few random people around, but they looked...afraid. They walked quickly, their eyes glinting with fear as they made their way to wherever their destination was. 

Natasha led the group onward, weaving through wreckage and debris until they reached the apartment.

It was a smaller building, a little shabby, but nice. Bruce walked up the front steps and knocked. No answer. 

Tony followed him up the steps and peered through a small window in the door. It was too dark to see anything. 

"Alright, back up Bruce." Tony said. Bruce did so without hesitation, backing down the steps. 

Tony tapped the nanotech arc reactor and let the particles spread over him. As the helmet went over his head, he briefly flashed to his battle with Thanos. He had donned his armor quickly and held his own, only for his helmet to ripped from his head again and again. 

Tony shook himself, chasing the thoughts away and holding up his hand. His palm was aimed at the door. 

A loud blast rang out as a laser shattered that door. Tony stepped over the pieces and into the front hall. 

Tony looked in every room in the apartment. From top to bottom. All he found was a comically big ant roaming around.

Bruce stepped into the doorway as Tony returned. 

"Well? Where is he?" Bruce peered around Tony's shoulder, trying to look behind him. 

Tony shook his head. "He's not here." He said quietly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oho where has he gone? ;)
> 
> (If you've watched amatw then you already know heheheh
> 
> Also! I decided not to include captain marvel only bc it would only confuse the storyline i have planned out, and also idk how to include her into it anyway oof
> 
> but i still like her u w u


	6. Bruh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> explanation of my unannounced hiatus and what's going on with the fic

Hey yall!!

So, around October 2018 I posted a chapter of this fic. Normal, right? But that would be the last I posted of this fic for almost 7 months. I did not mean to ghost on you guys, not at all, I just got super busy with school and marching band and just life in general. 

I thought I would continue updating this fic, but days went by, which led to weeks, which led to months. I hadn't had a lot of motivation at that point, but as time went on, I just couldnt bring myself to write another chapter. I had no motivation. 

I knew where I wanted the story to go, i had a loose plan, but i just didnt ever feel like writing, y'know?

Around March, I remembered this fic. I thought about trying to just finish it out, force out the last few chapters, but i eventually decided not to. I knew all chapters i tried to write would sound forced and wouldn't be my best work. I wanted to give you guys something good! So a few weeks ago, I decided what to do. I'm going to write out the final chapter, the ending basically, of the fic. I don't know when it'll be done, but I will post it as soon as I finish. Promise. 

Thank you many times over for the continuous support and kudos for this fic. Every comment you guys left made me so happy. :) 

I wish you all the best!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I didnt announce my hiatus!! I will post the final chapter asap, and I hope you all enjoyed this fic! I'm sorry I couldnt finish it out :(


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